Apparatus for producing artificial fuel



' (No Model.)

0. W. SMITH. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ARTIFICIAL FUEL.

v Patented Feb. 15, 1898.

@Hozmmys.

UNITED STATES PATENT Trice.

CHARLES IV. SMITH, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LOUIS ALLARS, OFROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ARTIFICIAL FUEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,264, dated February15, 1898.

' Application filed August 6, 1897. Seria1 No. 647,342. (N model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

'Be it known that I, CHARLES W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Moline, inthe county of Rock Island and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor Producing Artificial Fuel; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, whichwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, whichforms a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for producing artificialfuel or hard coal from bituminous or soft coal, sawdust, anthracite-coaldust, and other similar material.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the figure represents a vertical sectionalview of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention.

In the said drawing the reference-numeral 1 designates a circularfurnace formed with a convex top 2 and a corrugated hearth 3, offire-clay or metal, as found most convenient. There is a space 4:between said top and hearth, which forms a fire box or chamber.Thenumeral 5 designates supports for said hearth. The wall of thefurnace extends up above said top and is formed with an annular groove6, in which is seated a metallic gutter 6 to receive thedownwardlyturned flange 7 of a cover 8. This gutter is then filled withwater to make a tight joint.

The numeral 9 designates a hopper through which and the furnace extendsa vertical rotatable shaft 10, which is operated by any suitable motivepower. Secured to this shaft and located in the hopper is a feeder 12,with a space between it and the walls of the hopper for the coal to passto the hearth. Also secured to said shaft are radial arms 13, providedwith brushes 14:, which sweep the coal toward the lower edge of thehearth, where there is formed a passage or chute 15, through which thecoal escapes to a coolingchamber 17.

The numeral 18 designates a pipe for conveying gaseous fuel to thefire-chamber, while 19 designates an air-pipe for supplying the airnecessary for combustion.

Connected with the upper portion of the furnace is a pipe 20 forcarrying away the gases evolved from the coal, which gases may be used.for heating the furnace. The numeral 21 designates a tar receptacle withwhich said pipe is connected.

The operation is as follows: The furnace is heated to a temperaturesufficient to expel the gases, and the coal, which has been previouslycrushed and dried, is supplied to the hopper. The shaft is then set inmotion and the feeder will feed the coal to the hearth. The coal willnow be brushed toward the edge of the hearth by means of the brushes,

in the course of which it will be subjected to a very high degree ofheat, causing the gases and other volatile matters to be expelled. Thecoal will now escape to the cooling-chamber through the chute or passageat the edge of the hearth and is allowed to cool down to a temperatureof about 200 Fahrenheit. It is' then drawn off into a mixingpan andabout eight per cent. of pitch or any other binder mixed therewith andis compressed into lumps or blocks of any convenient size or shape. Thefuel then produced will have the appearance of hard or anthracite coal,as the coal is not coked during the process, retaining its black colorand not being During the said operation after the hearth is once heatedit provides its own heat by burning the gas drawn from the furnace, thusforming a continuous self -sustaining feed. The gas can also bewithdrawn and stored into a gasometcr for other use. I may also treatsawdust in the same manner, increasing, however, the temperature of thehearth.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In anapparatus for manufacturing artificial fuel consisting of a furnacehaving a surrounding wall provided with a groove or gutter in the upperend, a convex top, an interior coolingchamber, a convex corrugatedhearth located above said top and forming a fire-box therebetween andchutes adjacent to the lower end of the hearth and leading to porous.

- cooling-chamber, a convex corrugated hearth located above said top andforming a fire-box therebetween, and chutes adjacent to the lower end ofthe hearth and leading to' the cooling-chamber, a central verticalrotatable shaft provided with radial arms, brushes on said arms, ahopper at the upper end of said shaft, a cover seated on saidsurrounding Wall and the air and gas pipes communicating With thefire-box, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereuntoaffixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES W. SMITH.

Witnesses:

F. W. RANK, E. OLTMANNS.

